Improvement in truss-pads



q UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J. A. SCHNEIDER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN TRUSS-PADS.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, J. A. SCHNEIDER, of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Trusses, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of said specicaton, in which- Figure 1 represents a front view of a truss constructed ou my improved plan, the red lines illustrating the play of the spring-pad plate; and Fig. 2 represents a detail View of the spring adjustment.

In trusses as heretofore made and used, and more especially in the improved truss for which Letters Patent have already been granted to me, the position of the pad may be adjusted with the greatest nicety, in order to give a proper and perfect fit to the body of the patient, but whatever position the pad is made to assume the tension of the pressure-spring remains always the same. Experience has shown that in changing the position of the pad in adapting the trussfor various patients it is often highly desirable to modify the teusion of the spring, so as to cause the pad to presswith more or less force, according to circumstances. For instance, when the pad has to be adapted to act sidewise, the tension of its spring ought to be less than in case where thepp'ad has to be adjusted more lower down and with a view of acting or pressing upward.

The nature of my present improvement consists in so constructing the truss that the pressure of the pad may be easily and conveniently regulated after it (the pad) has been properly adapted and fitted to the-body of the patient.

To enable others skilled in the art to make, construct, and use my invention, I will now proceed to describe it in detail, omitting the description of such parts as are not essential to.

the full understanding of my present improvement.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents a leather covering, which incloses the body-spring B, made of brass; On the front part of this spring B a double slide, C C', is

mounted, said slide being capable of a horizontal adjustment by shifting in on the bodyspring, and of a vertical adjustment by raising or lowering the sliding plate C. The setscrew a serves the purpose of retaining the slide in the desired position.

D is an adjustable frame mounted to the under side of the foot pf slide C', and retained in position by means of the clamp -screw b. Between the downwardprojecting ears of the frame D is hinged by means of a pin,f, the slotted pad-plate E, to which the pad E is secured by a clamp-screw, e.

Around the pin f is coiled a spiral spring, G, having one end secured to the upper part of frame D and its other end fastened to a small cog-wheel, H, which is mounted on and near the extremity of the pin f. This cogwheel H engages with a worm screw, K, mounted on suitable bearings provided for that purpose on the inner face of the pad`plate.

For the purpose of operating the wormscrew, it is provided with a thumb-head, I, made to project over the front face of the padplate. By turning t-he head I of the wormscrew K the cog-wheel will be caused iuits turn to revolve, and the spiral spring more or less coiled, and thereby the tension' of said spring modified.

With a truss of this construction a perfect t may be readily obtained, and after it has been properly'placed and adjusted upon the body of the patient, it is only necessary to give a few turns to the thumb-head I in order Ato regulate the pressure of the pad, as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In combination with a hinged'padeplate, E, the spiral spring G, cog-wheel H, and wormscrew I, the whole being arranged in the manner substantially as set forth, and for the purpose specified.

J. A. SCHNEIDER.

In presence ofm E. HEssENMUELLEE, GEORGE DoTTERwEroH. 

